Dishpan Cookies ~Have you baked for anyone lately?~
I suppose I’ve always had a soft spot when it comes to homemade cookies. As a girl, my mother made fresh homemade cookies twice a week, every week!
She didn’t realize how long cookies would keep so she made small batches and replenished them with fresh every three days or so. Seeing as how money was so tight with a family of five on a police officer’s salary, Mama kept the cookies coming because she didn’t want us to do without treats when we couldn’t afford store bought. If you ask me, folks eating the store bought cookies weren’t getting nearly the treat we were!
I would have a very difficult time telling you what my favorite cookie is. That would be like telling you who my favorite person is! Rest assured, I have plenty of very well loved cookie recipes up my sleeve but on Mama’s advice, I am starting with these.
This recipe makes one of my favorite cookies and also one of hers. A very old fashioned tasting cookie, this reminds me of something I had in our lunchroom at school as a child. The first time I ever had these was about five years ago. I was on a twelve hour bus ride to Dallas, Texas to attend the Red Hat Society’s National Convention. A very kind lady had made a whole passle of these cookies to bring aboard the bus. One bite and I knew I had met my new best friend! A week or so later she was kind enough to mail me the recipe.
Living up to their name, dishpan cookies contain all sorts of goodness and the batter is generally far too massive to fit into a bowl in order to mix. I mixed these up in my favorite red dishpan. Please note that I am making a double batch but the recipe at the bottom is for a single batch. Y’all know how I like to double things! Half the effort, twice the outcome!
These are a GREAT cookie to give away. They travel well, freeze well, stay fresh longer than most cookies just sealed in a jar on the counter, and they also mail well. Even better, if you like crisp cookies, just bake them two minutes or so longer and you’ll have them! If you like chewy, bake them just until done. My family can never decide if we like these crispy or chewy, so I do half of the batch each way!
Now I have a question for ya! When was the last time you baked for anyone? Nowadays with all of the hustle and bustle of our lives mixed with the fact that the closest most people get to homemade is something bought at a grocer’s bakery section, nothing beats the thrill of receiving homemade cookies or other baked goods. It is so easy to buy things for someone, but baking for them lets them know that you put a lot of thought, effort, and love into the gift. Show your appreciation for someone, thank a dear friend just for being them, or give a batch of these as a gift for a special occasion. You’ll be happy you did and they’ll be a whole lot happier!
I like to make these cookies LARGE. I make so many different types of cookies that several years back I decided to make each type of cookie a particular shape or decorate it a specific way. For my grandmother’s tea cakes, I cut them with a frilled circular cutter and sprinkle the tops with pink or red decorating sugars. For these, I measure out 1/4 C sized balls and bake them to be extra large. This cookie is sturdy enough to handle the larger size plus it is a nice little gift when you simply put one cookie in a cellophane gift bag and tie it with curling ribbon, as I did this morning when I attached them to invitations for my daughter’s birthday.
I have a little neighbor, April, who I know is going to be a happy camper when she and her sister come home to find these tied to her front door handle!
Mix again….
Throw hand mixer in trash. That makes the fifth one you’ve burned up, gal! 
I hope you are all getting ready for a great weekend! I’m getting up first thing tomorrow morning to put another one of my favorites in the crock pot so I can bring it to you next week!
I’m thankful to each and every one of you for reading Southern Plate and I hope you have a wonderful evening!
Gratefully,
Christy
P.S. Here is a lovely photo of a cotton field for you! They are in full bloom now and just beautiful. If you’ve never been to Alabama, I highly recommend you come this time of year. Aside from the fact that we wouldn’t wish a Southern Summer on our worst enemy, cotton fields and all of our fall festivals and fairs are an experience not to be missed!
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Boy, I’m definitely bookmarking this one! Sounds perfect for all occasions. Thank you!
Hey there. I will definitly have to try this.:) These cookies sound great. HMMM I wonder how chocolate chips would tast in these? I love chocolate.:) I will post recipes that I have tried later on my blog. Dh leaves definitly on Sunday. They had to keep pushing up the date cause of the hurricane. But things are pretty much back to work conditions. Hope you are having a great night.:) By the way here is my blog. http://www.leclairfamily.com/SJBlog It isn’t perfect but a work in progress. I will be using this to keep dh update on everyday going ons here at home.:)
Have fun!!
Sharon:)
Hey Tomato Lady! I just went to your blog and was delighted to find that recipe for hamburger buns! I had been looking for a good one just this week!!! Thank you!!
Sharon: You have a great blog! I planned on hopping over and next thing you know I was reading about you giving away the three bags of girls clothes and homeschool books and it was just like sitting down with you having a chat!!! You know, my husband mentioned adding chocolate chips this last time I made them, too! They would be fabulous but you know what would be even better? BUTTERSCOTCH CHIPS!!!
we are huge on the butterscotch chips around here!
Thank you so much for linking to me on your blog! I’m going to add a link to you this evening…….okay it might be tomorrow, but I’m going to do it!!
thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!
Christy
Your mama was so good to you, makin’ all of those cookies for you guys. The only time my mama made cookies was when it was my turn to bring the snack for snacktime at school (or for my Girl Scout meetings).
I just got a new job baking at a coffee shop, I’ll see if I can sneak these into the menu…
I just finished a post about Southern Plate on my blog Life at the Lake. The Dishpan Cookies are very similar to a recipe from my Grandma called Dunkin Cookies that have even more ingredients – like raisins or chocolate chips, coconut and nuts! I’ve put a link to your blog on mine. Thanks for all the inspiration.
http://www.lifeatthelake07.blogspot.com
Those look so good! I have a couple of those big red dishpans, but I’m not sure I want to make cookies in them – I actually use them to wash dishes and I see the kind of gunk that floats around in there! Maybe I’ll just use a really big bowl…
I made your fried green tomatoes, and they were soooo good! I’ll be posting those in the next few days, with a link back to you of course!
These are going to be perfect to send with my hubby to share with co-workers! And to take to family when we go on our 2 week trip to GA during the holidays. I always want to take goodies, but it’s hard to find things that travel well and last a long time.
Thanks Christy!
I’m getting double mailing on your daily list. Please remove one. I adore your mouth watering recipes everyday, Thank you for all your hard work.
Amanda Prickett
diddlysqat@embarqmail.com
I would love to have your grandmother’s tea cake recipe. My mother used to make those when we were little. That is the only cookie I remember her making. My husband and I have been trying to find a good recipe for them. His great grandmother Williams used to make them also. Unfortunately they are no longer here to give us the recipe. I grew up in Athens and now live in Ardmore. It is funny that the state line seems to be the line drawn for the cotton fields.
Hi Christy, I have a question about a previous post of yours, I cant remember the recipe. You had said something about Fire King dishes. Do you collect them? I was a flea market this weekend and I found some mugs. They were pricey but I keep kicking myself for not getting them. My question: Do these keep going up in value?
Hey Nikki Yeah, Mama really did work awfully hard. Everything was from scratch. She wanted us to have everything she had in addition to everything she didn’t have as a child. Most importantly, she didn’t ever want us to have to do without because of lack of money. I remember when my brother was in school, before my sister and I were old enough to start, every day when he got home he got a bottle of coke to drink. Coke was a pretty spiffy reward (and we didn’t just have them sitting around the house). Of course, my sister and I wanted one, too. Mama would save glass coke bottles and wash them out and then half another coke between my sister and I, each of us getting to drink our half out of a glass bottle just like our brother did. Mama didn’t drink any, she saved the treat for us. I know that sounds trivial, but it’s the little things like that which mean the world to young kids.
Ooh baking at a COFFEE SHOP? I bet you smell heavenly when you get off work!!! LOL
I hope that shop’s patrons realize how lucky they are! Coffee and something you baked? I can’t imagine a greater bliss!!!
Life at the lake I don’t even know how to begin to thank you for your kindness. That is the most encouraging and flattering post, I honestly can’t find the words to thank you. Trust me, ME not being able to find the words is REALLY SOMETHING! Just, thank you. Thank you so very much. Please know I mean it from my heart!
I’ll be sure to include it in the newsletter and put your name in the hat for the drawing!
Oh my, thank you so much!
Stephanie You know, it honestly kills me that I can’t offer these things to all of you. I am a “Feeder” by nature and I just love to send food to folks. One of these days, I am going to have to come up with a way to get all of y’all together for a feast! I’m so glad you liked the fried tomatoes!!!! I’ll keep an eye out for your post, your food always looks so good! I haven’t gotten a chance to try hoe cake with cheese yet but I haven’t forgotten!!!
April You know, I try to always make these when we go on a trip to take with us, too! They just keep so well and stay so fresh! Thank You for reading and taking the time to comment!! I always enjoy seeing you!
Diddly I’m so sorry about the double mailing issue! My email subscriptions are automated but I did check my list and only saw your email listed once. Is it possible that you might be subscribed under an additional email address? If that isn’t the case, perhaps if we tried taking you off the list and having you re-subscribe? I hate to do that but it may be the only other thing we can try if the problem persists.
Thank you so much for your kind words and for reading Southern Plate! I’ve emailed you about this to see if we can figure out something that will help!
Have any other readers had this problem?
Anonymous Oh this is wonderful! I bet we have the exact same recipe for these. I am actually going to do a tutorial on them very soon – definitely within the next two weeks but possibly next week – because I have been wanting some. This is my Mama Reed’s recipe and she was known for her tea cakes. Her kids loved the day she baked them because as they were coming out of the oven she would just put a big old pile of them warm in the center of the table and they were allowed to eat as many as they wanted! After they cooled she would put them in a jar and they would have to ask before they got one (so as not to ruin meals). Needless to say, baking day for tea cakes was big doings at the Reed house!
If you would like the recipe before I post it just send me an email at Christy@southernplate.com and I’ll be happy to give it to you!
That is funny about the state line, I never thought about it but you are absolutely right!
Thank you all for reading!!
Gratefully,
Christy
Hey Joan! Yes, I do have a nice collection of Fire King but as prices have risen, I haven’t actually added to my collection in years.
When I was a little girl, my mother got into collecting depression glass. She collected cabbage rose, it was so pretty! She and I often browsed around antique malls and such together and she wanted me to have a means of sharing the collecting experience with her. At the time (this was about twenty five years ago), Fire King dishes were in abundance in antique stores and the least expensive dishes to collect. This was the reason she started a collection for me of those. We would get a few here and a few more there and eventually I had quite a set! I kept them in the bottom of a china cabinet in our living room and from time to time would pull all of them out and play house with them. Who knew they would become so popular?
Nowadays, the price of fire king just keeps rising. Martha Stewart, especially, has made them very popular. There are colors other than jade, but the milky green jade is my personal favorite (and very much in demand). As they become more and more scarce, the price will continue to increase.
However, I highly recommend getting a book on fire king before you set off to purchase any as there are MANY reproductions out there done in such a fashion that it is very difficult to tell them from the original. You’d hate to pay full antique price for a reproduction!
A few years back (in 2000, I think) Fire king actually came out with a set of bakeware called “Fire King 2000″ and you could pick up casserole dishes and mixing bowls and such at your local Linens N Things! Those are still available on Ebay and such nowadays.
In fact, I suggest you look on Ebay if you’d like to find any of them right now. As consumers have started holding on to their money a bit more, we’ve found that Ebay prices (especially on antiques) have dropped dramatically.
I have a love for antique and milk glass mixing bowls and recently picked up a set of three graduated sized Fire King mixing bowls from the forties with these beautiful tulips painted on them, all three for less than the value of a single one of them!
Was that answer long winded enough for ya? hehe
You know how I am once I get started!
If you have any more questions just holler!
Christy
Everybody loves BIG cookies! I’ll give these a try!
WooHoo! I love to get a new cookie recipe. I bake cookies at least twice a week. Our youngest daughter and her three kids are living with us at this time and I always try to have a special snack for the boys when they come in from school. Thanks for all of your great recipes.
Thank you so much for the information on Fire King, I will go out and get a book first. That is such a sweet story about your mom. I try to have traditions with my girls too. I didnt tell you earlier the cookie recipe looks great and that is the cutest pic of your son!! Its great to have helpers
Karen Hey! Yes, I always love how big they are, folks get this childish grin on their face when you give them one! Everyone has an inner cookie monster!
Belle Oh Belle, don’t get me started! I LOVE BAKING COOKIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have so many cookie recipes that I have actually avoided putting many on here because I am afraid I will just go cookie crazy and y’all will run in terror at the crispy/chewy/warm from the oven madness!!!! I am going to do a few more soon, though!
Joan Hehe, thank you! I thought my little Bradybug was a cutie in that, but you know I’m biased! You are very welcome on the fire king. I enjoyed remembering all those times with my mother and getting to talk about it, thank you for giving me the chance!
Christy
For me, the bigger the cookie, the better! I love when I have to break it into pieces to dunk it in milk. And it makes me feel like a little kid, because cookies always looked bigger when I was little.
I have a humoungous metal bowl I use when making a double batch of bread dough, for rising. I’ll bet a double batch of these would fit in there…
Christy a girl can nevah have too many cookie recipes don’tcha know hehe. I’ll be watching for more crispy/chewy/warm goodies!
I will be trying these. We started a cookie exchange last year at our open house and it was a big hit. I’m sure these would be great for that!
It been a bit on baking for someone.
looks like these would be perfect. Thanks for participating in the SSF Blog Carnival. Your just my favorite foodie evern. Ü
OK I tried these and my kids LOVEEEEE them , I had never heard of them before but they seriously rock!
I am so happy to have found this site today! I was really looking to bring the home feel/flavour back into dinner time and found plenty here!
These were so good! I loved how the cornflakes gave an extra crunch! I added chocolate chips to half of the batch. Yummy! Thanks!
Ok – this is my FAVORITE recipe page ever…. what a cutie. I share my cooking with my in-laws a lot – but there’s no reason not to spread the love a little further to neighbors, co-workers, librarians (my favorite people!)
These cookies sound perfect – I’ll make a batch tomorrow!
Christy, I made these last week for my granddaughter’s birthday party, and they were a big hit! The kids were delighted at the size and the taste. But the adults made a pretty big dent in the batch as well. I’ll be making these often. Thanks!
These look delicious! I bought the stuff to make these the other day and haven’t had a chance to make them yet. Can’t wait though!
Ok I made these and let me tell you, I LOVE them!
But I used old Fashioned oats! BIG mistake LOL
My kids….were so so…(too much chewing cause mom messed up) But ME? I loveed em!
Yum!!! I just found this recipe and ran out to the store to get the stuff to make them! So, so good! And, despite all of the large bowls in my kitchen…I did have to use a dishpan! I don’t think I mixed it quite as well as you did as mine are a little chewy, even though they’re crunchy. Make sense? But they’re still really good! Thank you for sharing this!!
The dishpan cookies are excellent and so easy. Thanks for the many wonderful recipes and the great site. CajunLou
Do I bake these at 350 degrees?
375
Sorry bout that. It is within the post but not at the bottom. I’ll modify soon as I get home!
Thanks!
Christy
I bet my nephew would love these. He loves cookies, it’s so cute when ever he sees a cookie he lowers his voice down and does a cookie monster imitation. Seeing a 20 month old going “coooookiiiiieeeee” is one of the cutest things in the world.
Hi Christy!
I LOVE the double batch! I have two beautiful sons in the military – and these are going in the next set of Care Packages! They are really going to enjoy these, and it looks like there will be plenty to share.
Annie
Hey!
I saw your comment and just wanted to let you know that these bar cookies (see link) travel VERY well to Iraq. I sent them to Kuwait a few times actually and although it took two weeks to arrive, they received rave reviews and requests for more!
http://www.southernplate.com/2009/01/mm-oatmeal-bars-made-with-baking-mix.html
Please tell your sons they have my undying gratitude and respect.
Gratefully,
Christy
Aww Christy – thank you! I sure will!
Hey Annie, how did your sons like the cookies? I’ve been looking for recipes to send my husband in Afghanistan I love to hear feedback on what others found works. =) Thanks in advance!
[...] and grace one might expect. And in true LA spirit, Christy came packin’! No, not heat… Dishpan Cookies, yo! Thanks, [...]
Christy,
Can I just tell you that you are the only person besides my family that I have ever “met” that knows what dishpan cookies are? We have loved them for years since my great-grandma made them for us when we’d come to visit, but everyone always looks at me wierd if I mention them or bring them somewhere–not the most-appetizing-looking cookie, if you know what I mean. And I totally get you with burning out the mixer-I ALWAYS have to stop and finish mixing by hand when I get everything in there!
My brother is in college and so I send him cookies once a month since college kids don’t get a lot of mail or a lot of homecooking and while he never requests anything because he likes to be surprised, he’s always quick to thank me when I make these!
Thanks for putting a smile on my face this morning and one in my heart remembering my much-loved great grandma. We called her Mamo and I don’t think anyone in my family can still say her name without getting a smile on their face. She was a hard-working, never-stopping woman that showed us a lot of love!
Christy…
I made these… They are Wonderful…Thanks for all your hard work.
Blessings to you and your Success!!
Linda